Workforce Solutions Official: Don't call back claimants

Published 3:10 PM MST Jan 19, 2013

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -

As thousands of unemployed New Mexicans remain desperate for answers on why they have not received their benefits for weeks, KOAT Action 7 News has learned a Department of Workforce Solutions official sent out a mass email to employees with explicit instructions to not call back claimants.

Thousands of unemployed New Mexicans were dialing the Department of Workforce Solutions helpline number hoping to reach someone who can help them get their benefits back.

“For two weeks I’ve been calling every day for three hours at a time,” said Diana Martinez. “I give up and I hang up.”

Martinez said she doesn’t have time to look for a job because she’s on hold all day long.

“It’s a mess,” she said.

A frustrated state employee, who did not want to reveal her name for fear of losing her job, faxed Action 7 News an email from a Department of Workforce Solutions executive telling workers not to call claimants back because the call center is overwhelmed and could not keep up with the calls.

The executive said claimants had to wait their turn on the phone -- something that could take hours and rack up thousands of dollars in phone bills.

Friday is typically the day that the Workforce Solutions call center gets the least amount of calls. Some unemployed people tell us they finally got to someone today, but they were told to wait.

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